Why Lamarcus Joyner should be the Rams' top priority in free agency

The Los Angeles Rams were extremely active last offseason. In addition to hiring Sean McVay, trading for Sammy Watkins and signing Robert Woods, the Rams also made a bunch of fringe moves, so to speak: signing Nickell Robey-Coleman, bringing in Wade Phillips, adding John Sullivan.

As strong as all of those moves were – in addition to signing Andrew Whitworth, of course – one of their best decisions was to move Lamarcus Joyner from nickel cornerback to free safety. It was a switch Jeff Fisher refused to make for several years, keeping Joyner in the slot as more of a role player.

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Phillips, however, saw Joyner as “one of our best players and he only played half the time,” saying he deserved more playing time.

“We said, ‘Well, let’s play him all the time then.’ It sounds simple, but he’s too good a player not to be on the field, in my opinion,” Phillips said. “And he thought the same way. I saw ‘Hard Knocks.’ I think he felt the same way.”

Joyner played just 12 games this season due to injury and rest in Week 17, but he still managed to rack up 688 snaps – only 12 fewer than he had in 2016 when he played 14 games. Had he started every game, Joyner likely would have surpassed 900 snaps played, which would have been a new career high.

Now, the Rams have a big decision to make with their star free safety: re-sign him to a long-term deal, use the franchise tag or let him walk in free agency.

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Joyner is set to hit the open market in March, the first time in his career he’ll do so. Prior to this season, Joyner wasn’t viewed as a major asset for the Rams or any other team, for that matter. However, he was the NFL’s third-best safety in 2017, according to PFF.

That’s not a player you just let walk in free agency, which is why the Rams can’t afford to let him leave this offseason. Even with Watkins, Trumaine Johnson and Robey-Coleman hitting free agency, Joyner is the team’s No. 1 priority. Or, at least he should be.

He brings so much to the table for the Rams. Not only does he thrive as a centerfielder in the middle of the defense, but he can play a variety of positions. Joyner often comes down into the slot to cover receivers, matching up well with them thanks to his speed and quickness.

Obviously, he’s not the biggest safety at just 5-foot-8, 190 pounds, but in today’s NFL, coverage ability and instincts are more important than being a big thumper. Receivers are protected so well by rules nowadays that safeties aren’t really allowed to lay big hits on ball carriers over the middle.

Yet, Joyner still finds a way to separate the ball from receivers without getting flagged for it. He did just that on several occasions this season.

If the Rams somehow let him go and don’t retain him this offseason, it would be a colossal mistake. Joyner is just hitting his stride as an NFL safety and is only going to get better the more he plays.

Sure, John Johnson and Cody Davis are solid players, but neither can replace Joyner at free safety. Keeping him together with Johnson for years to come will only elevate the play of the entire defense.

The best-case scenario would be to franchise tag Watkins, re-sign Joyner and Johnson and possibly retain Robey-Coleman on a cheap, short-term deal. It’s unlikely the Rams will be able to keep all four, but re-signing Joyner has to be their No. 1 goal.

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